Join Nashata team in further REVOLUTIONIZING modest activewear. We have 4 new roles for those who loves sports and embraces an active lifestyle. All roles are based in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. Deadline for application : 30 April 2019

We welcome talents who are willing to learn and driven to try out new things to apply. If you are up to the challenge, email your resume at contactus@nashata.com.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Deadline : 30 April 2019.

Nashata & SOFEA Run are teaming up in support of the Malaysia Women Marathon Virtual Run. Join Nashata x SOFEA Run FREE Running Clinic led by fitness coach, Intan Suraya and find out about how to run without injuries and improve performance. You get to meet other lady runners and learn from each other. It is limited for 50 ladies only and registration ends Saturday, 16 March 2019 – 3.59PM.

In this video, I share 20 Arm workouts that will help your arms stay strong and toned. You can do those workouts ANYTIME and ANYWHERE.– NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED – NO GYM NEEDED
All you need is your energy and some space.

How can you put those workouts into use?Pick 5 of the workouts, repeat each move 10-15 time, then do 3 sets of all.

WORKOUT CLOTHES DETAILS:

Sports Hijab:
– Hooda Ellips Sports Hijab in Black
– Hooda Hijab for Dry and wet use with Zipper in Beige
– Raazglove in Grey
(I like to keep my sports hijabs under my clothes. This is just my preference)

Today, Malaysia’s premier distance running event implements ballot system for public registrations due to tremendous response and the Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was given the honour to activate the random computerised ballot selection process whereby ballot winners were picked and immediately notified of their selection.

Check your ballot status at https://www.kl-marathon.com/

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon has seen phenomenal growth over the last decade with the 10th Anniversary edition in 2018 seeing the highest attendance to date of over 38,000 participants. Public registrations for the 2018 event were snapped up within 10 hours of opening, leaving a lot of disgruntled runners who didn’t get a chance to register due to a variety of reasons, such as network congestion and poor internet connections.

This year saw a significant increase in loyalty registrations, where returning 2018 runners were given the privilege of signing up and securing their slot before registrations opened to the general public. Almost two thirds of the available slots were snapped up during this period leaving slightly over 12,000 slots across all categories remaining for public registrations. Hence, the ballot system was introduced this year to give everyone an equal opportunity to secure a race slot as potential participants could cast their ballot between 13 to 19 February 2019.

“We introduced loyalty registrations in 2016 as a way of giving back to the running community who have strongly supported us, and continued to implement this in the following years” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of SCKLM and Director of Dirigo Events, the owners and organisers of the multi-award winning event. “Since then, the take-up during the loyalty registrations consistently yielded about 40-45% of overall slots available. This year we were caught by surprise when the loyalty registration period saw more than 60% of available slots snapped up, which is why we have had to implement balloting for public registrations” added Rainer. “This way, everyone gets an equal chance to secure a race entry and will not be hindered by network or work issues.” Rainer also mentioned that moving forward, the balloting process would most probably be implemented right from the loyalty registration period.

“It’s certainly a privilege to be involved with the premier distance running event in Malaysia. I have truly been inspired by the hard work undertaken by SCKLM to develop the sport of distance running by consistently putting on a world class event that attracts more than 38,000 participants from Malaysia and around the world,” said Syed Saddiq. “While the competitive aspect of SCKLM has provided talented Malaysian runners like Leo Tan and Muhaizar Mohamad with the platform to perform alongside elite international runners and raise their game, the heart-warming aspect of SCKLM is the commitment placed on making a difference through the Run For A Reason charity initiative,” added Syed Saddiq. “In fact I have decided to accept Dirigo Events invitation to participate in the Half Marathon for SCKLM2019 and if my preparations go well, I hope to do something to be able to give back to the running community too.”

The 2019 edition of SCKLM was given a boost late last year when Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia renewed their title sponsorship of the event for a further four (4) years. The Bank has been a steadfast supporter of the event since its inception in 2009 and is a major factor behind its success.

“We are delighted to resume our title sponsorship of the KL Marathon. The past 10 years of our sponsorship has shown us the amazing power this event has to bring people from all walks of life together to do extraordinary things. SCKLM has grown from strength to strength and is now one of the most sought after events in Malaysia and the region,” said Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia. “This year marks yet another milestone with the ballot system introduced for public registrations,” added Abrar.

Charity programme Run For A Reason (RFAR) has been an integral component of SCKLM which has benefited and improved the lives of thousands of Malaysians over the last 10 years. Last year, the programme raised RM500,000, with individual runner raising more than RM17,000 and Rainer hopes the amount increases this year. For 2019, the charity beneficiaries are the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Hospis Malaysia and Dignity For Children Foundation.

I first embarked on my Spartan Race in Nov 2015 at its inaugural race in Singapore. I was hooked the first time. I love running but after a few marathons i got a bit bored and was seeking a more challenging race to keep me motivated and on my toes. Spartan Race was a dream come true. I have participated in 12 Spartan races since then, held in Singapore and Malaysia. I hope to be able to take part in more Spartan races overseas to experience the different terrains and weather. I ran alone for all the races except the last Super (Oct 2018) and the latest, first ever Stadion Race in Asia last January 2019. Crossing the finishing line was fulfilling i thought, but crossing the line with 22 others (first time Spartans) brought “fulfilling” to a whole new level. We trained together for about 4 months and they started with much fears and concerns. I met so many others who desired to participated but fear kept them at bay. These 22 faced theirs fears and fought through their personal demons to achieve something they never thought they could.

We are STRONG alone but TOGETHER, we are STRONGER!

Alhamdulillah.. No women left behind. Look at our muddy attire!

WHAT IS SPARTAN RACE?
(Taken from Spartan Website)

Three Main Race Types

Sprint 3 mi / 5 km, 20 Obstacles
The Spartan Sprint puts endurance aside and tests your quickness through 5 km loaded with 20 Obstacles. A great starter distance for beginners, or a perfect test against time for the more advanced racer.

Super 8 mi / 13 km, 25 Obstacles
The Spartan Super is as much mental as it is physical, spanning over 13 km that are just as unforgiving as the 25 Obstacles that litter the distance.

Beast 13 mi / 21 km, 30 Obstacles
The Spartan Beast is just plain hard. This is the longest and most difficult race out of our three main race types and is aptly named for its brutal 21 km circuit with 30 Obstacles that try to keep you from your finish line.

Holistic Challenge. As per most OCR (Obstacles Course Races) , the race not only requires one to be able to run. It demands a total full-body commitment, from strength to agility, balance, skills, endurance, ruggedness and mental resilience. The abilities to overcome the obstacles stretches you beyond your comfort zone. One needs to not only run the distance but, climb over walls, crawl through mud and tunnels, swim across waters, beat lateral walls, carry weights over undulating terrains, throw spear, hang, swing, roll, jump… you name it, they have it. What it means is that one has to train nearly every muscle in the body!

Test One’s Limit. The race is a true test of one’s limit. The different obstacles, undulating terrain, surprise elements, the harshness of the outdoors and the weather forces you to perform at your best and then some. Going through the training and completing the race will make one humbled yet confident to be able to overcome any hurdle life may cast upon you in syaa Allah. Like life itself, every obstacle represents the challenges we face in our daily life.We all know how one gets stronger ONLY through difficulty. It’s a test of physical strength, mental resilience and GUTS.

Camaraderie Forged. The race is like a battle and the racers like soldiers. Even when running alone, i never felt lonely. The positive spirit of each Spartan is so infectious, the stranger next to you will not leave you to in the ditch. A hand is always ready to pull you up the wall or through the mud. A battlefield where no one gets left behind. Going through the race as a team, the camaraderie forged as we overcome the obstacles together is beyond words. At the last Spartan ULTRA at Iskandar Putri, i jumped through the fire hand in hand with new found friends from Taiwan, Indonesia and Philippines with our own story to remember for the rest of our lives.

Their first Spartan Race! 13km 25 Obstacles. The most senior in our team was Cik Sumarne 59 years old (most right). Check out her smile!

Olympus – The rain poured just as we crossed the Start Line and continued to bless us with coolness and mud! Yeaaay

Spear Throw

Crossing water obstacle at Sentosa Beach.

Final Obstacle – Fire Jump

Dunking Station

Since you have no excuse, cast aside your fears. Bury the worry and burn away the jitters. Go sign up for a race already. There! First step done… Good job!

4 Steps to Train for Spartan Race

Prepare Well. Plan your training. You don’t want to suffer on course and call it quits. To finish strong, you must plan for every training, endurance, building up strengths and learning skills and techniques to overcome obstacles. You can follow Spartan’s Workout of the Day or subscribe to a training program with them. Read up! there is plenty of resources online to teach and show you how to train up. Look up the different obstacles you need to train for, rope climbing, swing trainer, hurdles, spear throw, etc. Watch the demonstration videos and training tips from the pros. Penalty for every failed obstacle is 30 burpees. The number of burpees you do, depends on your training.

Commit and Be Discipline. Set goals and keep to the plan. Commit yourself to the training and don’t falter. Treat yourself sometimes too after a good workout or once you finish a cycle. Consistency is always best. Push yourself but also rest and recover well.

Make Training fun!Include variety in your training. Train at different places, run a new route, venture new venues. Use different props/equipment while training. Embrace the sweat and soreness and learn to enjoy the training. Remember, its a process, you need to savour the journey to taste the sweetness at the finishing line.

Train Together. Gather your kakis. Having great company while training is always awesome. Join the Spartan Community where they will provide free training or find a community near you who are as enthusiastic as you. Motivate one another during training and help each other to achieve the training goals. Together, you are definitely stronger.

My Spartan Journey – 12 races since 2015

A satisfying finish with the team

The Z Wall

Inverted Wall

Join me at the next race on 02 March 2019 at Semenyih – Spartan Super/Sprint!

Due to overwhelming response by loyal runners from previous Standard Charted KL Marathon (SCKLM), there is a reduced number of slots available for public registration. There are a total of over 10,000 slots available across all categories and in order to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity of getting a race slot, public registrations for the SCKLM 2019 will be in the form of a ballot. This is also to ensure those who are interested to participate are not affected by network congestion or poor internet connections. Therefore, the balloting period will ensure that every applicant has an equal opportunity of earning a race slot.

Runners will be able to cast their ballots from 10.00am, 13 February 2019 to 11.59pm 19 February 2019. Ballot selection will be completely random and computerised, and will be activated by YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Minister of Youth and Sports on 22 February 2019. Successful applicants will then be notified by email and will have until 5 March to complete registration by making payment. Each person is only allowed one ballot entry.

So, runners – you have ample time to register now and do check your emails during this period 22nd – 24th February to get the ballot results. All the best!

What is a runcation? Runcation is a combination of the word “vacation” and “running”. It is a term coined by runners who travel to attend a marathon or running event, and have vacation at the same time. Usually, the running event is the highlight for a runcation so your itinerary needs to revolve around the timing and venue of the event. For this runcation, I travelled to Bangkok to attend the Amazing Thailand Marathon 2019 and it was amazing. Here are 3 main reasons why – before, after, and during the run:

Before running: Food heaven!

Over the years, I have seen Bangkok developing to be more Muslim-friendly to cater to an increasing number of tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Middle East. This means more halal food outlets and increasing conscious to state the ingredients used. This also means more variety of food for carbo-loading!

Personal recommendations:

MBK Mall (Nearest BTS Station: National Stadium)

Clean, comfortable with air-condition facilities.

Food selection at restaurants in level 5 and 6 includes:

Thai staples like Tom Yum and Green Curry.

The foodcourt at level 5 has a wide selection of International flavours too like Chinese, Indonesian, and Arabic food.

There is an affordable steak house at level 6

Enjoy some dessert and coffee at a halal-friendly (but not halal-certified) café called After You at level 3

Don’t be scared to try the spicy local flavours

Saman Islam at Chatuchak Market (Nearest BTS Station: Mo Chit)

Street food with local ambience.

Food selection is mostly Thai staples. There are also some Southern Thai dishes too.

Enjoy Thai sweets and desserts that are mostly halal-friendly (but not halal-certified) such as Mango with Sticky Rice, Coconut Ice Cream, and Thai Ice Tea.

I think this dish has some Southern Thai influence, the rice tastes like a briyani rice and hainanese chicken rice at the same time

The nearest landmark to this stall is the Clock Tower

After running: Recovery at the spa

time to relax and reward those hardworking legs

Legs are feeling sore after a run? Head to a spa for a massage, aromatherapy, or an herbal compression. Thailand has a long history of alternative treatments using herbs and natural ingredients, making the treatments more effective.

Herbs, spices, and plants with medicinal properties to cure that aching muscle

Note: Spa and massage houses have a bad reputation for illegal ‘services’ in Bangkok. How to ensure the spa conducts legal business with no hanky-panky ‘services’? Ask for recommendations from the locals, make it firm that you are strictly looking for a medicinal or aesthetic spa. The proper spas are usually more upscale and expensive too, but they are still cheaper than Malaysia’s rate. Proper spas also clearly display their zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment.

Personal recommendations:

Health Land (Nearest BTS Station: Asok)

Try their body scrub therapy, leaving you smelling heavenly and squeaky clean. Service here is top-notch too, with comfy bathrobes, unlimited ice told mineral water or tea. Protip: do call them in advanced to set for an appointment, as they are always full

Crystal Spa (Nearest BTS Station: Phra Khanong)

Try their foot and head massage, relieving aching muscles and leaving you in total relaxation. Protip: Do not forget to tip the masseuse after your treatment. They do not expect much, 20 to 50 Thai Bhat goes a long way for these local women.

During the run: Cross-cultural observations

Do you know that Thailand is also known as “The Land of Smiles”?

Despite having similar roots to Malaysia, there are some notable differences in Thais culture. This might affect how an event is organized. Although it is a well-known international event with participants from various countries, it is still very Thai-centric.

Personal observations:

Thais are very proud of their language and culture. Most signage are still written in Thai, so collecting the race kit and getting to the race site was not very well-organized. Mitigate that by collecting the race kit early, and heading to the race site early too. But don’t worry, Thai are very friendly too. They will be happy to help if you ask nicely.

Get to the race site early

Cheering is not a culture in Thai. There were not many supporters or spectators along the way, and most people weaved between the running event venue like nothing happened. I can’t help but to notice that poverty is also very apparent in Bangkok, as there were beggars eating leftovers from the runners. I feel sad for them.

Are small bottles more practical than disposable cups? At least bottles are reusable and handy

Thais are such hospitable people. They want to make you feel welcomed and comfortable, and nothing is more comfortable than a clean toilet. Their portable toilets were equipped with a bidet, flushing toilet, and even air-condition. It puts Malaysia’s porta-loo to shame.

Trail running can be a daunting, yet rewarding experience. Through a lot of trial and error and based on my own personal experience, I have developed a systematic 4 step-by-step approach to help you prepare for a trail run.

Think of training for a trail run as a pyramid – without a solid base, it will be impossible to move upwards.

Every adult should feel safe and has the freedom to workout at places convenient to him or her, be it on the street or at the gym. As many of us try to make the world a safer and a better place, we especially women and girls need to take extra precaution while working out. With the little time women have to workout due commitments like work, studying or taking care of family, the more reason why women need to be able to step into the gym or run at times and places of their conveniences.

Nowadays, there are more women walking, cycling and running outdoors. Most of the time, they are alone. It is completely understandable, as sometimes a woman’s free-time do not suit others and in order not to miss training or to be consistent, she would have to train alone. Getting cat calls are pretty common among female runners. It is not flattering, rather irritating. They can be ignored.

Workout Happy & Safely

Fitness is a lifestyle. Due to this, a woman should not be afraid to exercise her rights to be on the street and at the gym to work out. Women need to know what to do when they are harassed.

What are the form of sexual harassment?
Any unwelcome verbal and physical sexual attention that is directed to you. Sexual harassment need not to be in a form of physical contact and advances. Verbal harassment that is sexual in nature or jokes and unwanted sexual representation in visible manner, be it in a form of photos, physical exposure or text are considered sexual harassment too. If a person makes you feel uncomfortable due to his or her sexual conversation or physical contact or representation to you and if you are not certain if it is a harassment, talk to someone.

Be Prepared

1. Go to places & gym that are safe

Go to all ladies gym close to you. In Klang Valley, there are a few like the Curves and Femme Fitness.

Work out at a guarded and well lighted area. Avoid shady, dark and quiet areas.

Inform family member or friend about your workout area beforehand.

Avoid any group of men

Try not to be alone

Be unpredictable. Change routes, change workout times.

2. Bring protective gears

Self defense stick
They are collapsible but smallest is also long – 19 cm onwards.

Pepper spray
Small and handy. You can put it in pocket

Self Defense Personal Alarm
Small and handy. There are several types, mostly key chains.

Sabre and Mace are the brands that have both pepper spray and personal alarm in 1.

3. Have emergency numbers and apps handy

Always have emergency numbers and the nearest police station number on your mobile phone

Install apps that can facilitates you go get help immediately.
In Malaysia, for example, you can use Volunteer Smartphone Patrol App (VSP ) that allows you lodge a complain immediately and provide GPS coordinates and visuals. It is provided by the Malaysian Police Force.

Screenshot of VSP

What should you do when you are harassed?

Stay calm, run for safety and defend yourself.
If the harassment is verbal or not in a form of contact, just ignore and move away as fast and calm as possible. Go to the nearest person to you for help. Do not respond to offender. If necessary, in order to avoid physical contact, use any protective gears you have to defend yourself and get help as soon as you can.

Get evidence and witnesses
Be aware of your surrounding and of where you are. Remember how the person looks like as you need to be descriptive about the offender, also where the incident take place. If you are alone and have the opportunity, get evidence of the incident. It could be pictures. If there are witnesses closeby, get their information.

Report to the authorities
You can call the authorities immediately. You can use the VSP app in Malaysia to report and provide information of incident immediately. Do not be afraid to lodge a report to authorities.

Talk to someone if you need to
Sexual harassment is something you want to avoid as what you experience can make you scared, angry and confused. Do not blame yourself for what happen and do know that the only person who can help you is yourself. Talking to others like family members and friends can only make you feel better but if you want to make things better for yourself and the community, lodge a formal report. Only with the report, the authorities can take necessary measures to find the offender and make the area safer.

You should not be scared to exercise a woman’s rights to workout outdoor, on the street and at the gym. Those who are terrorizing others or have mental issues should be given help and taken away from the streets.